Root foraging in the leguminous zinc hyperaccumulator Crotalaria novae-hollandiae from Queensland, Australia

Context: Root foraging by hyperaccumulator plants in response to patchily distributed metals has been observed in several obligate hyperaccumulators, but it is not known whether facultative hyperaccumulators respond similarly.Aims: This study investigated the root-growth behaviour in the leguminous zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulator Crotalaria novae-hollandiae compared with the non-accumulating Crotalaria cunninghamii in response to localised soil Zn enrichment in the soil to observe foraging versus avoidance responses.Methods: We conducted rhizotron experiments in which we exposed the Crotalaria spec... Mehr ...